Law and Nurture

Essay

Discipleship begins by seeing the condition of the person. The people we want to lead may be mature, responsible sheep, but the people God actually entrusts to us may be young lambs, wounded believers, or people who cannot yet stand firmly on their own. A shepherd does not choose only the kind of sheep he prefers. A shepherd receives the people Jesus entrusts and cares for them according to their condition.John 21:15-17Feed my lambs.

In John 21, Jesus tells Peter to feed His lambs, tend His sheep, and feed His sheep. This is not mere repetition. There is discernment here. A lamb and a mature sheep do not need the same care. Some people need nourishment and safety first. Others need direction, responsibility, and guidance.

If we push strong training on a lamb too early, the wound can deepen. When faith is still young, when the person’s sense of self is unstable, and when the experience of being loved is weak, the first language may need to be, “You are doing well,” “You are okay,” and “You are loved.” A person must receive enough love before training can be received in a healthy way.Isaiah 40:11He will gather the lambs in his arms.

On the other hand, if we only keep feeding a mature sheep, growth can stop. Mature sheep need responsibility. They grow as they move, serve, and carry what has been entrusted to them. Shepherding does not mean saying the same thing to everyone. It means loving and forming people according to their stage and need.1 Thessalonians 5:14Admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak.

This principle also helps us understand churches. Some churches may be places of restoration, some may focus on foundational nurture, and others may raise mature coworkers. We should not judge a church too quickly because it does not fulfill every role perfectly. In the body of Christ, different parts carry different assignments.

Law and gospel must also be understood with this kind of discernment. The Mosaic covenant and the new covenant do not operate in the same way. When we say Jesus fulfilled the law, it does not mean that we now repeat every Old Testament institution and ordinance in the same form. It means the purpose toward which the law pointed has been fulfilled in Christ.

The clearest example is sacrifice. Old Testament sacrifices were repeated, but the cross of Jesus was a once-for-all sacrifice. The new covenant people cannot return to animal sacrifices. The temple also changes in Christ. Jesus is the true temple, and the church and believers in Christ are now the place where God’s presence is revealed.

This does not mean the law has no value. The law reveals the holiness of God, exposes sin, and shows that human beings cannot make themselves righteous. The law is like a mirror. It can show what is dirty. But a mirror cannot wash a person. The power to cleanse and give life is found in the gospel, the Holy Spirit, and the new life God gives.

Tithing must be discerned within this same structure.Matthew 23:23The weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. In the Old Testament, the tithe was connected to the temple, the Levites, and the religious-national structure of Israel. In the new covenant, voluntary giving and stewardship become more central. This does not mean rejecting tithing outright or criticizing churches that teach it.

For some people, tithing can function as basic training in faith. When someone is learning that God is the owner of all things, a clear practice can help. But a mature believer may already be living with the conviction that everything belongs to God and may give, share, and devote far beyond a simple minimum. Such a person needs the language of deeper stewardship and calling, not only the language of basic rule-keeping.

In the end, law and nurture require us to hold together the structure of the gospel and the stage of the person. Lambs need love and nourishment. Growing sheep need direction and responsibility. Mature coworkers need deeper mission and freedom. The law has its benefit, but life is in the gospel.2 Corinthians 3:6The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. A shepherd must discern, feed, tend, and build people within that gospel.

Key Takeaways

1. A shepherd does not choose only the sheep they prefer.

2. John 21 shows different kinds of care.

3. Lambs need love and feeding before heavy responsibility.

4. Encouragement can be a serious pastoral act.

5. Mature sheep need direction and responsibility.

6. Pastoral discernment means caring according to stage.

7. Different churches may carry different roles.

8. The Mosaic covenant and the new covenant work differently.

9. Sacrifice is completed in Jesus.

10. The temple is re-centered in Christ and His body.

11. Righteousness is grounded in faith, not external rule-keeping.

12. The law still has real benefit.

13. The law is a mirror, but not the power that cleanses.

14. Tithing must be understood through the new covenant.

15. Mature believers need a broader language of stewardship.

16. Ministers must be ready for many stages of people.

17. The benefit of the law and the life of the gospel belong together.